Three industrial design students from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology tested prototypes of bicycles, load-bearing tricycles and multi-purpose trolleys in the deep rural North-West province this past fortnight to establish whether the communities of Mathopestat and Pitsedisulejang would buy into their ideas.

 

 

Francoin Visser from the Cape Peninsula University of technology with his trolley prototype.

This is the first outcome of the Interdesign 2005 workshop that was held in Rustenburg in April. Designers from 15 countries joined their South African counterparts in the North-West province for two weeks to address problems around sustainable rural transport. Interdesign 2005 is an initiative of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Designers (ICSID) and was organised locally by the Design Institute, a division of the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS).

 

 

Rael Futerman from the same institution astride his prototype bicycle.

The students reported back about their findings on this prototype testing at a feedback session held in Pretoria in September. They presented their prototypes back to the communities and after some enthusiastic testing and discussions, they gathered valuable feedback from these potential users. Particular attention was paid to responses and opinions from those most likely to benefit from new transportation methods - learners, people who stay at home and artisans.

The trolley eased the carrying of loads, but was also used in ways that the students did not envisage, namely as a push cart for small children.

 

 

John Vermeulen , industrial design student from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology takes his prototype tricycle for a test run.

The bicycle was given to a learner who walks 15 kilometres to school and back every day. The learner reported that it cut his travelling time by half and that he felt much more energised in the course of the day.

The load-bearing tricycle was given to a community entrepreneur to test. He plants seeds and raises seedlings to sell to the community. The tricycle helped his business along and he said that he would definitely support the product.

Prototypes of donkey carts built by industrial design students of the Johannesburg University will be tested in the field early on in 2006.